Shock-absorber for automobiles and the like.



R. B. EWART. SHOCK ABSORBER FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE.

.APPLICATION FILED MAB.. 10. 1909.

@MM2/w# R. B. EWART. SHOCK ABSORBBB FOB AUToMoBILBs AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. l0, 1909*.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Dec. 21, 1909.

Witwe/.mea

UlillTED STATES .ATENT tllllfll.

ROBERT B. EWART, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNGR Of? ONE-HALF TO BENJAMINA.

serra, or Kansas Grrr,

MISSOUR.

SHOCK-ABSORBER FOR- AUTOMOBILES AND TEE LIKE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, ROBERT B. Ewanr, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York city, in the county of `New York and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Shoek-ribsorber for Automobiles andthe Like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for absorbing shocks and isespecially designed for use in connection with automobiles and othervehicles, although it is also useful wherever it is desired to absorbshocks.

rllhe object of the invention is to provide a dashpot in which oil orother suitable liquid is used as a retarding means, a-bypass of nov lform being utilized to permit the necessary displacement of theretarding fluid, means being utilized whereby this displacementy may becontrolled so as to regulate the efficiency of the device,

TWith these and other objects in view the invention consists in certainnovel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter morefully described and pointed out in the claims.

ln the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention hasbeen shown.

ln said drawings -Figure l is a plan view of the frame and running gearof a motor vehicle provided with shock-absorbing devices embodying thepresent improvements. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through ashock-absorber such as constitutes the present invention. Fig. 3 is asection through the casing of the dashpot, said section being taken onthe line. A. B Fig. 2 and longitudinally of the inner by-passes. 4 is asection on line C-D Fig. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through thevalved portion of the upper exterior by-pass.

Referring to the liguresby characters of reference l designates thecasing of the dashpot, the same being preferably7 cylindrical and havinga removable cap 2 at one end provided with a bushing` 3 through whichextends a piston rod l designed to reciprocate. A. piston is arranged onthat portion of the rod within the casing 1 and works within the maincompartment 6 within the casing, said casing being provided at one endwith a reduced longitudinal extension 7 having a longitudinal bore 8constituting an auxiliary compartment within Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed March 10, 1909.

Patented Dee. 21, 1909.

Serial No. 482,439.

which one end portion of the rod sl works as a piston. The piston ntssnugly within the compartment G and formed within the wall of thiscompartment at diametrically opposed points are longitudinally extendinggrooves 9 gradually increasing in depth toward their centers, as clearlyindicated in Fig. 8. These grooves 9 constitute interior by-passes whichobviously increase in depth toward their centers, and it will beapparent therefore that when the piston 5 moves longitudinally of thecompartment 6 the fluid in the path thereof will be free to pass slowlythrough the grooves from one side to the other of the piston, the speedof displacement of the fluid increasing as the piston moves toward thecenter of said bypasses 9, and diminishing as said piston moves awayfrom the center of the grooves.

A rib l0 is formed exteriorly upon the casing l and extends from thefree end of the extension 7 to an intermediate point of the compartmentG, this rib having a passage ll therein communicating at its ends withthe middle portion of the compartment 6 i and with the outer end of thecompartment 8, thus forming a lower exterior by-pass. Aspring-controlled check valve l2 may be arranged within that end portionof the bypass ll opening into the compartment 8, a screw plug 13 beingprovided for holding the valve normally in place, this Valve beingreadily accessible by removing the plug, as will be obvious. Another rible is formed upon the outer portion of the casing l, and has a passage1G extending therethrough and opening at its ends into the opposite endportions of the compartment G, this passage thus forming an upperexterior b v-pass, constituting an auxiliary means for permitting theflow of fluid around the piston A needle valve 17 or any other suitablecut-off device may be mounted within the rib l-l for the purpose ofcontrolling the passage of fluid through the by-pass 1G.

The shock-absorber herein described is preferably mounted in the manneras shown in Fig. 2. Ears 18 are arranged upon the casing l at a pointbetween the ends thereof and receive a pivot pin 19 extending through ahead 2O which formed at one end of a clamping bolt 2l. This bolt extendsthrough the end portions of a clip 22 and is designed to draw said endstogether so as-to clamp lto have a universal movement.

the clip about the axle E of a vehicle, or about any suitable supportingstructure. 1f preferred the head Q0 may be swiveled upon the bolt 21 soas to thus permit the casing 1 Then the shock-absorber is used inconnection with an automobile the clips 22 are placed upon the front andrear axles and are so located as to permit the shock-absorbers toincline toward the center of the frame F of the machine, the outer endsof the piston rods l being connected to the frame by yoles 28 which arepivotally connected to ears 24 mounted for swinging movement upon studsor trunnions 25 extending laterally from the frame. 1nasmuch as the axesof the ear 24 and the yoke 23 are4 at right angles to each other it willbe apparent that this connection constitutes a universal joint and thatthe movement of the frame F in any direction with relation to the axle Eis thus permitted without danger of breaking the shock-absorber.

As heretofore stated the shock-absorbers utilize oil or other suitablefluid, this fluid being arranged within the chamber (i of each casing 1and completely filling said chamber at both sides of the piston 5. lhenthe said piston is forced downwardly within the chamber 6 the fluid inthe path thereof is permitted to escape through the inner bypasses 9 andpast the piston, the quantity of fluid escaping past the pistongradually increasing until the piston reaches the middle portions of theby-passes 9, whereupon the amount of circulating fluid graduallydiminishes as the piston approaches the lower ends of the by-passes 9. Aportion of the liquid is of course free to flow pastthe piston 5 by w-ayof the by-pass 16, and it will obviously be possible to control themovementJ of the piston 5 by adjusting valve 17 so as to regulate theflow of fluid through this by-pass 16. Should any of the liquid con`tents of the chamber 6 leak past the piston rod 4L and into thecompartment 8 the downward movement of the said piston rod within saidcompartment will force this liquid against the valve 12 and open it, theliquid Ythen passing through the by-pass 11 and back into thecompartment 6. The valve 1Q, is designed to prevent any of the liquidcontents of the dashpot from flowing back into the compartment 8 fromthe by-pass 11.

It is of course to be understood that various changes may be made in theconstruction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spiritor sacrificing the advantages of the invention.

lVliat is claimed is 1. A shock absorber comprising a fluid containingcasing having main and auxiliary compartments, connected reciprocatoryelements in the respective compartments, means for permittingdisplacement of the fluid from one compartment to the other,

means for permitting displacement of the fluid from one end to the otherof the main compartment, and separate fluid-controlling devices carriedby said means.

2. A shock-absorber comprising a casing having main and auxiliarycompartments therein, said main compartment constituting aliquid-container, elements mounted for reciprocation within thecompartments, a by-pass for establishing communication between the twocompartments, means for preventing back-flow from the by-pass to theauxiliary compartment, said main compartment having means for permittingvariable displacement of fluid within said compartment during themovement of the elements in either direction.

3. A shock-absorber comprising a casing having main and auxiliarycompartments therein, elements mounted for reciprocation within therespective compartments, means for permitting flow of fluid from theauxiliary compartment to the main compartment, but for preventingback-flow of said fluid, said main compartment constituting afluid-container, valved means for permitting displacement of fluidwithin the main compartment and past the reciprocating element therein.

4. A shock-absorber comprising a casing having main and auxiliarycompartments therein, elements mounted for reciprocation within therespective compartments, meansl for permitting flow of fluid from theauxiliary compartment to the main compartment, but for preventingback-flow of said fluid, said main compartment constituting afluid-container, valved means for permitting displacement of fluidwithin the main compartment and past the reciprocating element therein,said main compartment having means for permitting variable displacementof liquid during the movement of said element in either direction.

The combination with structures movable with relation to each other, ofa shockabsorber comprising a casing having a main compartment and anauxiliary guide compartment, a universal joint constituting a connectionbetween said casing and one of the structures, a piston rod mounted toreciprocate within the two compartments and constituting a piston withinthe auxiliary compartment, a piston carried by said rod and mounted toreciprocate within the main compartment, a universal oint constitutingthe connection between the piston rod and the other structure,said maincompartment of the casing constituting a fluidcontainer and having meansfor permitting variable displacement of the fluid irrespective of thepressure to which the piston is subjected, and a valved by-pass formaintaining communication between the two compartments, said by-passconstituting means foi1 peimitting the flow of fluid in l the maincompartment during` the movement one direction but preventing back-flowi of said elements, and an adjustable fluid-contliei'eof. strollingdevice Within each of said means.

6. A shook absoihei comprising a tluidl ln testimonT that I Claim theforegoing containing' Casing' having main and auxilas my own, I havehereto aflixed my signa- 15 iary eompaitments, Connected reeipioeatoiyture in the presence of two Witnesses. elements mounted Within therespective eom- RO ERT B. EWYART. pai'tments, separate means forpermitting` Vilitnesses: displacement of fluid from one CompartmentTHEO. E. GORDON, Jr., to the other and from one end to the other ofCHAS. H. HOLT.

